City of Somerton’s Greater Days Festival happening this weekend

KYMA on March 18, 2026

Abraham Retana

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – The City of Somerton is hosting a very special celebration this Saturday, marking when it was founded.

The Greater Days Festival, happening at Council Avenue Park, is commemorating 108 years of Somerton’s foundation.

The event starting with a parade happening at 9 a.m. followed by a day full of fun and entertainment for the entire family.

“So, we are going to have food vendors a lot of drinks cooling stations because the weather is going to be a little bit hot, so we are going to have cooling stations and kids area with a petting zoo,” said Stephanie Pereda, Special Events Director of the City of Somerton.

Live music will be provided by the All Mighty Majestics and Los Apson.

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Bend Sustainability Fund awards $500,000 to 11 community projects

KTVZ on March 18, 2026

KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Visit Bend awarded $500,000 to 11 community projects through the Bend Sustainability Fund on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The grants, funded by visitor lodging taxes, support local initiatives focused on environmental stewardship, recreation access, and infrastructure improvements.

Established in 2021, the fund has now reinvested more than $3.8 million into 42 projects throughout Bend. The program is financed by a 10.4% lodging tax paid by visitors staying at hotels and vacation rentals. This year’s recipients were selected by an advisory council from a pool of applicants requesting more than $1 million in total funding.

Nearly half of the 2026 funding was dedicated to projects expanding outdoor access for people of all mobilities. Oregon Adaptive Sports received $63,747 to create an Adaptive Cycling Center at Pine Nursery Park, which will be the third of its kind on the West Coast. The center will offer state-of-the-art adaptive cycles for public use. Additionally, The Onward Project was awarded $61,850 to double its fleet of all-terrain “AdvenChair” wheelchairs, designed to help families hike together.

Other accessibility improvements include a $51,000 grant for Mt. Bachelor to upgrade Sunrise Lodge with new accessible ramps and door buttons. The Central Oregon Trail Alliance received $11,400 to install six ride-over cattle guards at the Cline Butte and Cascade View trail systems, removing barriers for adaptive cyclists.

The largest single grant of $100,000 went to The Environmental Center to launch a reusable tableware “Wash Hub.” This centralized commercial dishwashing and collection system is designed to replace more than 250,000 single-use items at food cart pods and local events. The project is part of a broader effort to use the visitor economy to support environmental stewardship.

Trail maintenance and invasive species prevention received significant support through two specific projects. The Deschutes Trails Coalition was awarded $56,396 to repair aging stairs and improve drainage on the Pilot Butte Base Trail. Meanwhile, Glick Forestry received $16,989 to install 14 boot-brush stations at high-traffic trailheads, including Tumalo Falls and Green Lakes, to help prevent the spread of invasive plants by hikers.

Four grants focused on cultural facilities and historical preservation within the Bend community. The Tower Theatre received $80,000 for a new lighting console, while the Volcanic Theatre was awarded $38,470 for acoustic and lighting upgrades. The Petersen Rock Garden, a 91-year-old folk art landmark, received $5,148 for new information signage and the Central Oregon Disc Golf Club was granted $15,000 for improvements at the Skyline Disc Golf Course.

The Bend Sustainability Fund requires that all funded projects have a life of at least 10 years and demonstrate meaningful visitor use while providing community benefits. An independent advisory council of local residents reviewed the 2026 applications before making recommendations to the Visit Bend board of directors. Of the 11 projects selected, eight are first-time recipients of the grant.

Residents can participate in a two-week online community ballot to rank the 11 funded projects. The top two vote-getters will each receive an additional $1,000 in support. The ballot is open now through April 1, 2026, on the Visit Bend website and social media channels.

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Idaho Falls weighs new alcohol server training rules, businesses raise burden concerns

KIFI on March 18, 2026

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A proposed Idaho Falls ordinance would require alcohol servers and security staff to complete a new “Approved Server Training Program,” but at least one city council member says he’s concerned the law, as written, goes too far in punishing workers.

Under the ordinance, current employees would have to be certified by June 1, 2026. New hires would have 60 days from their start date to complete the training. Certifications would be valid for three years, after which employees would be required to take the course again to stay in compliance.

Businesses that hold liquor, beer, or wine licenses would be required to ensure their staff is certified, keep records of those certifications, and present them to law enforcement upon request. Copies of employee certificates would also have to be submitted when applying for a new or lapsed license.

City Council Member John Radford said he supports the idea of training but believes local bar and restaurant owners have legitimate concerns about how the ordinance is structured.

“We did have, at our last City Council meeting, probably five or 10 of the owners come and speak to it, and they overwhelmingly wanted us to find a better solution,” Radford said “All of them said, yes, they’re in favor of training, but the burden of how this was written currently just didn’t meet their needs.”

One of the major areas of concern is the penalty for violating the training requirement. The ordinance makes individual servers, managers, or security personnel who fail to comply guilty of a misdemeanor. 

“We think that the training burden is one. Number two is the misdemeanor is pretty harsh for a judgment call,” Radford said. “You can train people, but ultimately you don’t know that someone comes into your bar that hasn’t already had more drinks than you served them.”

Council members and business owners are expected to continue discussions in the coming months over how to balance safety with less burden on businesses.

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Highway 63 underpass opens in Columbia

KMIZ on March 17, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An underpass at Conley Road to the Highway 63/Interstate 70 connector in Columbia opened to the public on Monday night.

Crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation started building the underpass in October 2024 with the goal of building two new bridges to Highway 63. The new underpass is located between the IHOP and Panda Express, a Tuesday press release says.

Officials expect the move to help with traffic flow in the area.

The new underpass is part of the Improve I-70 Project, which aims to make the interstate a three-lane highway across the entire state.

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Jefferson City man hit by trooper in November crash sues MSHP

KMIZ on March 17, 2026

Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man who was involved in a crash with a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper in November has sued the patrol.

Therron Sloan filed a lawsuit on Monday in Cole County against MSHP, saying he was hit on Nov. 5 by Trooper Dennis D. Mathes’s patrol vehicle as a result of negligence.

The petition says Sloan was riding a bike on East Elm Street in Jefferson City while trying to go across Clark Avenue when Mathes hit him with his patrol vehicle. The crash resulted in him being injured.

Previous reporting shows Sloan was riding a moped and was hit while the trooper made a left turn. Sloan was not wearing a helmet and he was brought to University Hospital by ambulance after suffering serious injuries, a crash report from previous reporting says.

A summons was served to the patrol on Tuesday.

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FFA students shine at the Mid-Winter Fair

KYMA on March 17, 2026

Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – Future farmers took center stage at the California Mid-Winter Fair at the IV Fairgrounds in Imperial Sunday.

Students from the local 4H and FFA programs spend months raising and training their animals, everything from sheep and goats to bunnies and pigs.

The fair offers the opportunity to show off all of their hard work in the ring, where the animals are judged on health, grooming, and handling.

For many of the students, it’s not just about bringing home the blue ribbon, it’s abput the hard work and responsibility they have learned all year long.

“Working with them. Usually what we’re doing is we are brushing their hair in certain directions. When we’re washing them, we are blowing their hair, giving them about three hours of care every day,” FFA student Lexi Sutter told KYMA.

In addition to the hard work and responsibility it takes to raise livestock, the students still remember to have fun and enjoy their time at the fair.

“It’s been really fun, especially since I’m in FFA. The competition’s a little bit higher and it gives me a little bit more of a challenge, but yeah overall, it’s been really fun,” FFA student Rhett Boston told KYMA.

While the goal is to sell the animals, whether it’s as pets or for food, parting ways can be bittersweet for some students.

Sutter explained, “Today, I got to take my steer for auction and I had a boar goat and a deer goat here but they left last weekend. And today, I was just going through auction with my steer and selling him so I’m going to have to get rid of him now after all of that.”

She said it it hard to break from the routine of working with the animal, but after the summer, she will be ready to take on a new one.

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Yuma County Recorder’s Office moves to a different building ahead of renovation

KYMA on March 17, 2026

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Recorder’s Office will be moving buildings in preparation of renovating the current office.

Starting next Monday, Yuma County Recorder David Lara says they will be moving down the street to the old Mexican Consulate Building on Main Street. The last day in the current building will be this Friday.

Lara says the Recorder’s Office will be in the new building for about a year, and says this will not impact early voting.

“There shouldn’t be a change. Everything’s pretty smooth and we already looked at the facility…I had staff look around before I rented it. I wanted to make sure that it would work, that it was up to date as far as elections, and I think we’re good,” Lara explained.

Lara also says everything they did in the old building will be done at the building they are renting out.

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Tadeo De La Hoya announces run for Mayor of San Luis, Arizona

KYMA on March 17, 2026

Abigahil Padilla

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Tadeo Azael De La Hoya has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of San Luis, Arizona.

He is currently a City Council member and President of the Gadsden School District Governing Board, and brings over 25 years of experience working in and serving the local community.

De La Hoya says throughout his career, he has worked on community programs, supported local families, and advocated for education and economic opportunities.

His leadership roles in both city government and the school district have positioned him as a key figure in local development.

“My greatest motivation is the commitment and the work I have already accomplished in San Luis, Arizona. The most important priority is to continue upholding public safety, as well as economic growth and development; San Luis, Arizona, possesses immense potential, and I believe we must take it to the next level.”

Tadeo De La Hoya, candidate for Mayor of San Luis, Arizona

De La Hoya plans to continue engaging with residents through community events as he seeks to earn their support in the upcoming election.

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Menan man injured in Tuesday morning rollover on Highway 33

KIFI on March 17, 2026

Seth Ratliff

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A 43-year-old Menan man is recovering this afternoon after being injured in a rollover crash along State Highway 33 Tuesday morning, March 17.

According to the Idaho State Police, the crash took place around 11:20 AM near milepost 32. The man was reportedly driving north in a 1995 Buick LaSaber when his vehicle drove off the east side of the road and rolled.

The man was fortunately wearing his seatbelt and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

The crash is still under investigation by the Idaho State Police.

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Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal announces bid for District Judge

KIFI on March 17, 2026

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal has officially thrown his hat into the ring for District Judge in Idaho’s Seventh Judicial District, setting the stage for the region’s first contested judicial election in over a decade.

Neal’s campaign to unseat incumbent District Judge Steven Boyce marks the first time in 14 years that a judge’s seat has been challenged in the district.

District Judge Steven Boyce

Judicial elections take place every 4 years, and the race will involve residents of District 7, which serves Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties.

In his announcement, Neal emphasized the importance of the democratic process in the judicial system.

“The Idaho Constitution states that district judges are to be elected by the people,” Neal explained. “It is not a true election if people don’t have choices. Elected judges are more directly accountable to the people in the community.”

Neal brings four decades of public service to the race, beginning his career in law enforcement before transitioning to law. He has served as the Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney since his election in 2022.

His opponent, Judge Boyce, was appointed by Governor Brad Little to the 7th Judicial District in 2019 and has served in the position since. Before becoming a district judge, Boyce served as a magistrate judge for Bonneville County from 2017 to 2019 and had practiced law for over 20 years.

Prosecutor Neal says his platform centers on ensuring the community and victims have a clear voice in the courtroom.

“I believe that the community and the victims must be heard in the courtroom,” Neal added, “Along with efforts at rehabilitating offenders, there must be accountability and proportionate consequences, especially in those cases involving child victims and gun violence.”

Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

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